


It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To

by richietoaster



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, Plot Twists, YOU GET A PLOT TWIST AND YOU GET A PLOT TWIST, YOU NEED TO READ TO UNDERSTAND, but because of how my last fic ended i decided not to be an asshole this time, everything is okay i promise, there is a major character death in this but i'm not tagging that because reasons, there's a lot of jokes about being dead, this was originally going to end differently
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 12:34:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16492709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/richietoaster/pseuds/richietoaster
Summary: “Even when you’re dead you’re a sarcastic asshole.” Richie laughs, “But I’m serious, I should have-” He stops speaking when rips begin to form in the couch, “Hey! Look, I know you’re upset about the whole “being murdered” thing, but like, could you maybe not take your frustration out on our furniture?”“That couch has been ugly since we bought it, okay? You should be thanking me for the excuse to buy a new one.”





	It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To

**Author's Note:**

> *In the style of the Wizards of Waverly Place theme song* EVERYTHING IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS
> 
> also thank you my beautiful ari (sunsetozier) for betaing

There were a few shots. No, not alcoholic shots. Gunshots. Nobody knows how it happened. Everything was going fine, everything was under control, until it wasn’t.

People scrambled out of the house as fast as they could, out of every exit in sight. They wanted nothing to do with the crime scene and no connection in being a witness when the police showed up to answer questions.

“So, how did this happen?” One of the policemen says, snapping Richie back into focus.

“I-I don’t know, I’m not sure.. Everyone was having a good time.” Richie puts his head in his hands, rubbing them over his face.

“Who did you invite?”

“It wasn’t supposed to be a lot of people. Our friends, some people from his Psychology class.. The party was for him. I threw it for him.”

“Why?”

There’s a strain in Richie’s voice. The kind where he knows he’s going to cry, the kind where his throat burns. “He graduated with his Master’s degree. Finally done with college and I wanted to surprise him to congratulate him.”

“One last question for right now, Mr. Tozier,” The cop clears his throat, “How long have you and Mr. Kaspbrak been living together?”

“Two years.”

“Thank you.”

Richie just nods and watches the man go outside to talk to the other deputies. He sits on the floor and sighs, wondering if he’s going to need to sell the house (but who would buy a house when they know that someone was murdered in there?), or even worse.. find another roommate..

“Don’t ever get murdered, it’s not fucking fun.” Richie whips his body around when he hears Eddie’s voice, “Shit’s painful.”

“What the fuck?”

“Yeah, yeah, drink me in, Tozier. It’s me, in the flesh. Well, not technically.” Eddie pauses and stands up from where he was sitting on the stairs, “I’m alive and- .. okay, not that either.. Bottom line is, I’m _real_ , okay? A ghost. Boo, and all that shit.”

Richie pushes himself off of the floor to walk over to Eddie, shaking his hand where his stomach would be.

An abrupt laugh startles him. “That tickles, could you cut that out?”

Richie frowns, “How-?”  
“I’m not sure, so please don’t ask any questions. I’m- I’m quite mad.” Eddie huffs and looks at the lamp, sitting on the end table. He tips it over. Richie stares in shock.

“Well.. I’d be too if I was murdered in my own home..”

“I just.. I don’t fucking understand? I was a good person, I never hurt anybody, why the fuck did I have to die?”

“Eddie..” Richie’s voice is full of pity.

“No, don’t say my name like that. It’s _Eds_ to you. I don’t want your pity. I just want to hold your hand.” Eddie’s tone quivers, as if he’s about to cry.

“I’m.. I’m not _pitying_ you, I’m upset, too, okay?”

Eddie picks up one of the pillows from their couch and throws it at the wall. It knocks a picture frame down, shattering it. Richie doesn’t say anything.

“Rich, I’m fucking dead.”

Richie swallows, “I never got to tell you I loved you, you know.”

“.. You told me everyday.”

“You know what I mean, Eds. Don’t play dumb.” Richie lets his head hang low and lets out a sob.

“If it counts.. I love you, too..”

“Yeah, but not enough.. I should have said something sooner. I should have jumped in front of that bullet-”

“Richie Tozier- don’t you _dare_ say shit like that!” Eddie’s wail sends papers in the dining from flying. They both jump. “Sorry, I’m not sure what I can fully do as a ghost yet. The whole thing is kind of new to me, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Even when you’re dead you’re a sarcastic asshole.” Richie laughs, “But I’m serious, I should have-” He stops speaking when rips begin to form in the couch, “Hey! Look, I know you’re upset about the whole “being murdered” thing, but like, could you maybe _not_ take your frustration out on our furniture?”

“That couch has been ugly since we bought it, okay? You should be thanking me for the excuse to buy a new one.”

Richie laughs, but it doesn’t last long. “What am I going to do without you?”

Eddie doesn’t answer right away. He lets it sit in the air for a few minutes, thinking hard about what he should say, and then, “You don’t have to know, because I’m here, aren’t I?”

“In ghost form. I can’t ever touch you again.”

“I’m here in ghost form, yes. But I’m still here. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? If I stay a ghost for the rest of eternity, at least I can still see you.”

“What about when I die?”

“You don’t have to worry about for years, Rich. I mean years. Like, at _least_ a few decades. . But.. when that time comes, I’ll be there too. And then we can be together for both of our eternities.”

“What about haunting people?”

“Only for good causes. Like, we’ll open the door for people-”

“-or close it when they’re about to walk through? It’ll be like a video game. They’ll be so confused.”

Eddie laughs, “No, Richie, we’ll be good ghosts.”

“Fiiine,” Richie draws out.

“As of now, I’ll be your roommate still. I’m just.. Not alive.”

“That doesn’t seem like a good compromise,” Richie frowns and rubs his neck, “This fucking sucks.”

“We’re just gonna have to push through it. We’re stronger than the world separating us.”

Richie lets out a snort, “You missed the opportunity to say that _‘we can survive anything.’_ ”

“I will choke you in your sleep.”

“Kinky. But, in my defense, you started the dead jokes, not me!”

“Because I’m dead, Richie, I’m allowed to.”

“At least you’re not one of those spirits on those stupid ghost shows that are like, in denial about it.”

Eddie shrugs, “I mean, I stared at my lifeless body for a good five minutes before they zipped me up and took me away on the stretcher.”

“I think this would be a lot worse for me if I knew I would never see you again. But, here you are.”

Yet, as he looks up, Eddie starts fading in and out, like an old television set.

“Eds?”

“Am I really here, Richie? Or are you just trying to make yourself feel better?”

“What are you talking about?” Richie shakes his head, “What do you mean?”

“Look around, Richie. You pushed our table over and knocked the lamp off. You threw the pillow at the wall. You started ripping our couch apart. Look at what you’ve done. I know you’re hurting, I know, but I’m gone.” Eddie smiles sadly. “You’re never going to see me again.”

“Why are you saying this?” It feels like the room is spinning

“Because you’re living your worst fear.”

When Richie doesn’t respond, still clearly confused, Eddie speaks again, “You’ve had enough. Now, this is just the logical part of your brain trying to get you to wake up, Richie.” Richie shakes his head when Eddie’s voice sounds like he’s right next to him, even though he’s multiple feet away, “Wake up! Wake up, Richie.”

Richie puts his hands over his ears and squeezes his eyes close, “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

Eddie’s voice turns softer, “None of this is real, all you have to do is open your eyes. Come on, Richie, open your eyes. Wake up, sweetheart.”

“Stop lying to me.”

“Richie, I’m alive. You just have to wake up to see that I’m telling you the truth.”

Is he..? Is Richie having a _nightmare?_ He blocks out ghost Eddie and thinks of the gentle words, and slowly the picture fades out, and he’s opening his eyes.

 

 _“Richie? Richie, wake up. It’s okay, I’m here. I’ve got you,”_ is the first words Richie hears when he awakes. He’s staring up at Eddie, who’s shaking him. His face is tear stained, a worried but now relieved look resides on his face. “Thank God, Rich.. I’ve been trying to get you to wake up for the last ten minutes! You’ve been screaming.”

“What?” Richie reaches out to touch Eddie and when he can, he cries, “Fuck, you’re real. You’re alive.”

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be..?” Eddie trails off, but when he figures it out, he’s gasping quietly, “Oh, Richie..”

Eddie pulls him into a hug and kisses his shoulder.

“You were dead.. You were making a lot of dead jokes, which is totally you.. But then it turned darker.. Your ghost.. You were telling me that you were gone and.. And..”

“-and it was just a really bad dream, okay? I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” Eddie gently touches the side of Richie’s face.

“Eddie, what are we?” Richie asks suddenly.

“Friends.. Why?” Neither of them would be lying if they didn’t recognize the disappointment in Eddie’s tone.

Richie makes the quick decision to reach up and tangle his fingers in Eddie’s hair. He doesn’t say anything at first, just swallows and sighs, more relaxed, “Can I kiss you?”

Eddie nods and cradles Richie’s cheek in his palm, “Yeah.. Yes, you can.”

They meet in the middle, letting their lips slot together messily, but not in a rush.

“I’ve been waiting years for that to happen.. Why now?” Eddie asks.

“I had to take the risk of being rejected.”

“You should have known that I wouldn’t reject you..”

“Yeah,” Richie shrugs, “but if I’ve learned anything, it’s that tomorrow isn’t promised. I needed to know.”

“I’m sorry that you dreamt that.. But I promise that I’ll always be by your side.”

Eddie keeps that promise.

**Author's Note:**

> i will love you forever if you'd leave feedback
> 
>  
> 
> come say hi! I'm on tumblr: richietoaster


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